Tuesday, September 23, 2008

an activist from Burma

The Asylum Officer asked : 1] show me all of your passports! do you know what each stamp means? 2] who helped you prepare I-589? did he read the application back to you in your language?

3] do you have legal status in any other country? did you travel through any other countries? why not apply for asylum in Bangkok? in Paris? do you speak the language there? do you have any friends there? did you have a visa to live there?

4] are you a practicing Buddhist? why not? do you know a monk here in this city/ why don't you?5] when did you last leave your country? when did you enter USA? are there errors on your I-589? you were too busy to correct them?

6] why do you fear returning to your country? why would your government arrest you?7] why would you get arrested? why don't you answer my question the first time I ask it?8] Tell me details! where you really at the protest? if so, tell me details: was it warm? cold? windy? time of day? how many others were there? was anyone inside the building? what did you see?9] why don't you like your government?10] when and where did you protest in your country?11] when and where did you protest here in USA? how many protests did you attend? where was the first one? the second one? the next one/12] did you really stand on the sidewalk, hold a big sign, and shout words? really? tell me details!did you go to the protest with anyone else? how did you know about the protest? what was it you were protesting? was it anything in particular?13] where exactly did you stand? how many feet from the street? who was next to you? why don't you have photos of each protest? how did you get to the protest? walk? take a bus? friend give you a ride?14] tell me the names of the organizations which organized the protest15] tell me the names of the other protestors? why don't you know their names?